PARAMOUNT >> The buzz on Paramount has been about its quick-strike offense, and the Pirates expertly showed it off in its opener Friday night, using big plays to roll up 610 yards in a 48-21 romp over visiting Mira Costa.

Kingston Hala completed 21 of 32 passes for 369 yards and four touchdowns, three of them to Tyron Bates (6 catches for 175 yards), as Paramount, No. 6 in the Press-Telegram preseason rankings and No. 4 in CIF Southern Section Division 4, found the end zone six times from 35 yards or more.

Three first-quarter scores — Hala’s passes covering 70 yards to Bates and 75 to Nicholas Perez and a 66-yard Willie Cleveland II run — provided early command, and when Mira Costa issued a challenge at the end of the first and start of the second half, the Pirates answered with more.

It wasn’t perfect, by any means. Two drives were stopped inside the 10, and the Mustangs’ first two touchdowns were on Jackson Fischer’s 78-yard interception return and Kayle Marsh’s 67-yard kickoff return to start the third quarter. The Pirates were penalized 16 times for 180 yards — 12 for 140 before halftime — and, troublesome given their thin numbers — lost Cleveland to a sprained ankle and offensive lineman Taylor Trimble to a foot injury after top running back Ahmad Parker was ruled a no-go with a quadriceps injury.

Sam Whitney, making his first varsity start, completed 21 of 51 throws for 208 yards and deserved better — at least a dozen balls were dropped by receivers — but Paramount allowed the Mustangs just 40 rushing yards and only 13 after the first quarter. The only score permitted by the Pirates’ defense was a 34-yard Whitney-to-Marsh pass near the finish.

Bates hauled in a 35-yard TD pass to make it 27-0 midway through the second quarter and a 48-yarder late in the third quarter for a 41-14 edge. Brandon Neal and freshman Bo Thomas, the latter on a serpentine 41-yard run, ran for touchdowns.

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